Kentucky Colonelcy: Honorable Office and Title

The Kentucky Colonels Handbook

In May 2024 we found a copy of "The Kentucky Colonels Handbook," a rare-book copyrighted in 1930, since then we have researched the nearly 1,000 leads it produced rediscovering a trove of lost resources and understanding the truth about the lost history of the "Kentucky Colonel" in the United States. 

Did you know? (Recently Discovered Facts):

• colonels could perform weddings,

• colonels are legally state officers (equal to a notary),

• colonels were once assumed to be tax-exempt,

• colonels were the original industrial leaders and producers bourbon, hemp, thoroughbred horses, and tobacco,

• colonels were recognized protectors (guardians) of social ethics and values in Louisville from 1905-1925, and

• colonels are originally Kentucky's most prominent colonial leaders from 1775 through 1799.

Prior to the creation of the "Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels" in 1933 New York and the "Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels, Inc." in 1957 Kentucky; Kentucky Colonel organizations were located across the United States and were mostly focused on celebrating culture and preserving heritage.

True Origin of the Kentucky Colonel

The title of Kentucky Colonel originated not as a courtesy designation or charitable novelty, but as a formal title of public civil authority established on May 23, 1775, during the Transylvania Convention at Boonesborough on the Kentucky River. There, in the midst of America’s first experiment in frontier self-government, Daniel Boone, Richard Henderson, John Bowman, and James Harrod were among the first individuals recognized in Kentucky by a head-of-state with their honorable titles under a legal charter—authorized by mutual agreement, public consent to authority, property rights, civil order, and treaty, rather than by military rank.

This early form of colonial democracy, often referred to as the Kentucke Magna Charta, predates Kentucky statehood by more than a decade. Its delegates drafted laws, settled claims, and established public authority under the Transylvania Company’s jurisdiction, which was later integrated into Virginia and ultimately the Commonwealth of Kentucky. The title “colonel” was used since that day to designate civilian authority figures with command over land, peace, and law. These colonels founded courts, designated sheriffs, surveyed property, and represented the civil will of the people at a time when state and federal governments were still emerging in the 13 colonies.

From these origins, the Kentucky Colonel emerged as a symbol of civic virtue, democratic authority, and frontier leadership—not merely as a title of honor, but as a public trust granted to individuals whose service helped shape the laws, lands, and liberties of early Kentucky. This historical fact has been consistently preserved in state archives, scholarly works, and cultural memory dating back to the 18th century.

The Kentucky Colonel Badge and Credential Modern Symbols of Lawful Recognition

In continuation of the Kentucky Colonel’s historical role as a civil leader and community dignitary, the Kentucky Colonel Credential and the Kentucky Colonel Badge serve as modern, verifiable acknowledgments of title and lawful distinction. These instruments are not decorative novelties; they are based upon established precedents in civic recognition, peer authenticated, and blockchained—akin to contemporary mayoral, judicial, and gubernatorial insignia and identification issued at the state level for formal identity verification and public representation.

The Kentucky Colonel Badge™ 🥇 is modeled on early 20th-century insignia, most notably the silver six-point star issued to colonels during the Progressive Era (c.1907-1929), as featured in official regalia, news photography, and state press. It is designed to visually restore the dignity of the commission without mimicry or theatrical embellishment. The badge affirms not only personal honor but also historical continuity with those who once held civil, diplomatic, and public trust under the authority of Kentucky’s governors.

The Kentucky Colonel Credential™ 🪪now replaces earlier forms of informal identification and the Kentucky Colonel Identification Card (2021-2023) by offering a recognized title license issued through the Registry. It certifies that the individual has voluntarily acknowledged the responsibilities, rights, and historic office of the Kentucky Colonel. Each credential reflects the lawful standing of the registrant within a historically valid framework. While separate from commercial or philanthropic ventures, the Credential operates as an official civic record of the individual’s standing, echoing the original purpose of colonel appointments under Boone, Henderson, Bowman, and Shelby—recognition of one’s public usefulness, honorable conduct, and constructive influence in society.